Inductive communications port for an automatic meter reading communication device

• US 7,221,286 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2005
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensus Spectrum, LLC (Xylem, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: M&FC Holding, LLC
• Inventors: Johnson, Rex A., Van Olst, Terry L., Gould, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US11/102,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20060227006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.02, 340/870.03, 705/412, 343/719, 324/76, 324/75
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/006 Remote reading of utility meters to a non-fixed location, i.e. mobile location
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

A system for providing the ability to obtain consumption data from a communication device used to transmit accumulated data from the meter register. The system includes a programming port formed as part of the communication device. The programming port includes the programming coil that allows the accumulation data received from the meter register to be read by an interrogation device. Further, the programming coil allows programming information to be transferred to the communication device from the interrogation device. The system can also include a reading module coupled to the programming port of the communication device through an inductive coupling. The reading module can extend through a pit lid such that the reading module can be accessed without removing the pit lid.

Claims

1. A system for obtaining and transmitting consumption measurement data from a utility meter, the utility meter being operable to generate data signals related to the flow of a commodity through the utility meter, the system comprising:

a communication device coupled to the utility meter for receiving the data signals from the utility meter, for processing the data signal to determine accumulated data, and for wirelessly transmitting accumulated data to a remote monitoring location via an antenna, the communication device including a programming coil generally aligned with a programming port; and

a reading module inductively coupled to the programming coil of the communication device, via a connector module, for receiving the accumulated data from the communication device, the reading module including a reading coil positioned beneath the top surface of the reading module such that the accumulated data is read by an interrogating device via the reading coil, the reading coil coupled to a first end of a communication wire and a transfer coil contained within the connector module coupled to a second end of the communication wire, wherein the transfer coil of the communication wire is electrically spaced from the programming coil of the communication device when the connector module is aligned with the programming port of the communication device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the reading module is located remotely from the communication device.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein both the communication device and the reading module are mounted to a pit lid of a pit enclosing the utility meter and the meter register.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a data transfer wire coupled at a first end to the utility meter for receiving the data signals, a second end of the data transfer wire including an inductive coil enclosed within an attachment module,

wherein the communication device includes a receptacle port sized to receive the attachment module of the data transfer wire, the receptacle port being generally aligned with a receptacle coil contained within the communication device, wherein the inductive coil of the attachment module of the data transfer wire is electrically spaced from the receptacle coil of the communication device when the attachment module is received within the receptacle port.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the first end of the data transfer wire is electrically connected to the utility meter.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the inductive coil of the data transfer wire is inductively coupled to the receptacle coil of the communication device such that the accumulated data can be inductively transferred from the utility meter to the communication device.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the interrogating device is inductively coupled to the reading coil of the reading module to obtain the accumulated data from the communication device and to transfer programming information to the communication device.

8. A system for obtaining and transmitting consumption measurement data from a utility meter positioned within a subsurface pit enclosure including a pit lid, the utility meter having an electronic meter register for accumulating data related to the flow of a commodity through the meter, the system comprising:

a communication device coupled to the electronic meter register for receiving the accumulated data and wirelessly transmitting the accumulated data to a remote monitoring location via an antenna, the communication device including a programming coil generally aligned with a programming port; and

a reading module inductively coupled to the programming port of the communication device, via a connector module, for receiving the accumulated data from the communication device, and including a reading coil positioned beneath the top surface of the reading module such that the accumulated data is read by an interrogating device at the reading coil, the reading coil coupled to a first end of a communication wire and a transfer coil contained within the connector module coupled to a second end of the communication wire, wherein the transfer coil of the data transfer wire is electrically spaced from the programming coil of the communication device when the connector module is aligned with the programming port of the communication device.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the reading module includes a contact surface that is accessible through the pit lid such that the accumulated data can be read by the interrogating device without removing the pit lid from the pit enclosure.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the reading module is positioned remotely from the communication device.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the interrogating device is inductively coupled to the reading coil to obtain the accumulated data from the communication device and to transfer programming information to the communication device.

12. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

a data transfer wire coupled at a first end to the electronic meter register for receiving the accumulation data, a second end of the data transfer wire including an inductive coil enclosed within an attachment module,

wherein the communication device mounted to the pit lid includes at least one receptacle port sized to receive the attachment module of the data transfer wire, the receptacle port being generally aligned with a receptacle coil contained within the communication device, wherein the inductive coil of the data transfer wire is electrically spaced from the receptacle coil of the data transfer wire when the attachment module of the data transfer wire is received within the receptacle port.

13. A system for obtaining and transmitting consumption measurement data from a utility meter, the utility meter having an electronic meter register operable to accumulate data relating to the flow of a commodity through the utility meter, the accumulated data being represented by an output data signal, the system comprising:

a data transfer wire conductively connected at a first end to the electronic meter register for receiving the output data signal, a second end of the data transfer wire including an inductive coil enclosed within an attachment module;

a communication device inductively coupled to the data transfer wire for receiving the output data signal and transmitting the accumulated data to a remote monitoring location via an antenna, wherein the communication device includes a receptacle coil, wherein the inductive coil of the attachment module is electrically spaced from the receptacle coil when the attachment module is received by the communication device, the communication device further including a programming coil generally aligned with a programming port; and

a reading module inductively coupled to the programming coil of the communication device, via a connector module, for receiving the accumulated data from the communication device; and

including a reading coil positioned beneath the top surface of the reading module such that the accumulated data is read by an interrogating device at the reading coil, the reading coil coupled to a first end of a communication wire and a transfer coil contained within the connector module coupled to a second end of the communication wire, wherein the transfer coil of the communication coil is electrically spaced from the programming coil of the communication device when the connector module is aligned with the programming port of the communication device.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the reading module is located remotely from the communication device.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein both the communication device and the reading module are mounted to a pit lid of a pit enclosing the utility meter and the electronic meter register.